Sofa-bed.



F. IVI. DAVIS.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18,1915.

Pa'nted June 4, 1918.

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SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. IB. 1915.

Patented June 4, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. M. DAVIS.

.SOFA BED.

APPLICAUON FILED FEB. l8,1915.

Patented June 4 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

to the frame 1 in its lower forward part. Each leg 13 is unitary with said section and substantially integral therewith. A handle 15 is provided on the free end of section 8.

The head section 9 is provided with a pair of bearings 1G, one on each side medially of its endsin this instance being somewhat nearer the inner or free end 17 than to the adjacent joint 18. A roller 20 is provided for each bearing and these coact with guides 23 liXed to the ends 2 respectively. Said guides are formed and disposed to cause the head section to move rearwardly in folding, and to bear against thc back Said guides also control the elevation of said section and support the same both in bed and storage positions. Each guide 23 has a stop part 25 at its front end and inclines upward and backward nearly to the back 3 and then turns downward abruptly and terminates in a stop part 26. The free end of the bed section is provided with one or more rollers 27 mounted on the lower corner so to permit of free vertical travel upon the back 3 in folding and unfolding the bed.

The bed bottom joints 18 and 28 are formed to turn in the same direction and to act as stops or rule-joints to arrest turning when the sections are straightened into alinement. Joint 18 is formed to arrest the folding of sections 9 and 12 'at right angles. A stop member 18 limits the folding at this point.

In order to support the rear end of the middle section 12 in bed position, automatic locks are provided one for each side, each comprising a yielding member 30 secured to the end 2 adjacent to joint 1S.

Each member 30 comprises an upwardly facing shoulder 32 normally held yieldably in the path of a coaeting shoulder on said section. The supportingpart 34 for shoulder is inclined inward yieldably so as to be pushed outward by the upward movement of the bed bottom, and the upper part of its rear edge is inclined or rounded. The shoulder 32 springs back under the bed shoulder 33 as soon as the middle section reaches its horizontal position. When the foot section is raised for folding the bed,

projecting bed shoulder 33 is pushed rear.

ward ofl from the shoulder 32, thus permitting the middle section to swing downward past the automatic stop 30.

The seat device is made to rtlinprise a supporting member 36 and a seat proper 37 mounted tiltably thereon, in order that the stora ge receptacle 7 may be accessible when the device is in its sofa form, said supporting member being held at all times in substantially horizontal position, as will be explained. Said supporting member comprises a pair of ends 3S preferably connected rigidly by front and back members 39 and l), thusI ma king a rigid rectangular support.

ln order thatsaid support may be swung forwardly and downwardly so as t0 carry the seat in front of the sofa frame and beneath the foot section when the bed is unfolded, two pairs of links 41 and 42 are provided, one pair for each end of the se: t support. @ne link of each pair is disposed in front of the other in substantially parallel relation thereto, said links being all of substantially the same effective length. The swinging ends of said links are pivoted to the ends 3S and the lower ends are mounted turnably in the .lower forward part of the sofa frame. The swinging pivots are on the rear part of the seat support. rlhe spacing of the pivots at both ends of both pairs of links :is substantially the same. By this arrangement said links and coacting members always operate in effect as a parallelogram, 'whereby the seat is maintained substantially horizontal. Said links in their sofa position incline backward from their fixed pivots and support the seat, and in their sofa position they incline downward and permit the seat to rest upon the floor. Said links -are somewhat angular so as to reach down over the frame panel 'in their bed position. Normally the seat device rests on said links and bears rearward against the bed section S.

In order that the seat may be swung automatically by movement of the foot section, connecting means 44 are provided comprising a pair of links opposite ends of which are connected to the seat, device and foot section, or to parts of the supporting means therefor respectively.

Means for securing the seat proper turnably on its supporting frame are provided comprising a pairV of links 45 one at each end of the seat, each link being pivoted at its forward end to the supporting frame, and at its rear end to the seat adjacent to its lower rear edge, as will be understood. When the front edge of the seat is raised, the links cause the rear of the seat to slide forwardly on the inward flanges 47 of the supporting frame. Roller bearings 49 are .preferably mounted on said seat for riding upon said lianges.

A movable panel 50 is provided for the front of the sofa frame beneath the seat,said panel being hingedat its lower edge adjacent to the top of the stationary panel 6 so as to swing forward and thus provide clearance for the swinging of the seat and its supporting links. Meansare provided for yieldingly opposing the opening of said panel, and for automatically restoring the same as the sofa bed is folded. Said panel is forced open by contact therewith of the moving links and seat support in unfolding the bed. Said restoring means comprises a spring 53 preferably in the form of a helix having one end secured to the sofa frame and the other to the movable panel. Norjacentto its upper edge,

is secured to one :escaneo iront part olf t.

ie seat may bear i panel 50.

the and leed bottoni-With resofa frame, ine pivote ifi, 56 and i'ij' for eacli side are secured to a com :cion incoming or plate titl. rear legs of the foot section somewhat resilien, and may "ne sprung op and ofi from their f yots l5, lint scoured periuanen y' upon tiieir pivots i6 and liy cotter pins Gil. plate 59 andered readily dcniou able Witli reto traine' loy providing; therein a pluts itl and S5 formed and ard to yiii-inrit oi sliding said plate edgeinto position upon corresponding; .fs odset in. tlie frame ends lin order t screw `heads may beiiusli Witli tlie ace oi? ti'ie plate and so give free play lie links, screws are preferably 'flat foca-ded and tile slots correspondiugly bevcledto receive tlielieads. ffl/ne ,i said slots till opens into an ceive the liead the plate edge,

inountin o and others, 55, open on Automatic .loolringoncans are provided to tlie end 2 adjacent to the plate, one end of said spring ,being secured rigidly and the reeend being :Forn'ied with `a shoulder eilte age the adiacenti edge ofthe plate 59 to tile latter `ag .st retraction when it ne been slid past said shoulder into engagement With its mounting screws. The end 2 apertured at under the free end of spring o8, so as to permit of pressing the lattei inward manually for 'releasing plate when it is desired to remove the seat. 4lllie sofa back 73 is mounted pivotally adand is swingable. lt has a rearwardly disposed top flange ill normally inclined and against the front edge of the frame top 5 to which it is hinged at 7 Said `loack lies normally Lagainstor adjacent section 8 but may be raised oft swinging said section forward 'to :its leed securing' the bacla in its raised position, prof- `erably upright, or near-ly so, over ther top 5 For this purpose a rod 8O is pivoted to the back preferably by means of a bracket 82 fixed on therear of tlie back, and a stop 83 of the frame' ends 2, said stop having a vertical' aperture for said rod,

a, shoulder $5' to .coact upwardly with downward shoulder S6 on A.aid rod.V Yield-i mg nieas as ,a spring 8'? urge said rod into lockingv engagerenentl with said bracket when the back' is' raised,` i Means 89 may be actuated niannally to release said rod.'` lnvbed` V `if soJ desired, ,may ,be swung' down,and4 baci; against the :iframe i position the back,

er to facilitate mounting and a, tito sea-t linltsjoreieralily are' aierture sollicitent to i adapted to abut to the uijiriglit bed so asto permit i ,-.tion, W ole sections are said hinge so that the rod SO will hold the` back rigidlyn 4,otop means 92 are provided on eacli end EZ against W" 'L the free end of tlic foot scc tion bears in its sofa position, the opposite `end said section being positioned to ouest on tlie floor parte.

'Folding legs are pinete-d to the free ends of loed section Automatic control linlis 95 connect said eacli 'with a rear-y ward member liao/ii e nieve-lilo relation Wit-li respect to said section.

ln liotli unfolding and folding, the head section is supported Qartly by the rigid stop construction oi the oints 18 and 35), "whereby the unfolding of the middle section With rcspoot to the :toot section is limited to 130, and. whereby the folding; action of the liead section. with respect to the ioiiddle section is limited to approximately 90% iirdinarily the bedding is placed on tlie bed bottoni in made-up :torni before folding, Where may be secured luy any desired ineens will to understood, l/Viicn the bed is in its'folded torno. the normal equipment of bedding sul stantialiy nils the storage space between the sections and tends to urge the sections apart The operation for ,converting said device frein soia to lood forno is as follows: The back is first raised to the position shown in Fig. 3, Where it is heid temporarily by the lock 80. The bed bottom is then unfolded by grasping the foot rail, or the handle l5, and swinging the same forward to its liorizontal position, whereby the seat is lifted .from its sofa position and swung forward and downwardly in front of the iframe be neatl'i the foot section, andthe other sections are swung to their' bed position. The head section in so swinging is controlled. by the lateral guides 23. the middle section to lift above and engage the shoulder ci tile automatic loclr 30, and the guides support the liead sections. 'llie raised back is then released by pressing; in ward lon the plunger 89 and is swung down- Ward and back into the france Where it is held by the automatic catch 90.

The operation for convertingr the device from bed to sola iorm is as follows: The

` back is released from its retracted bed position and swung to its upward position where it is lield automatically., The bed bottoni is tlien folded and tlie seat restored to itsnorn mal position by grasping the foot of section `8 and swiirv'ng it back to its upright posih. operation tlie head and mid-- Wardto their storage position, the middle The rule joint 28 causesl swung downward and rbaclil EES ' assembled by a simple reverse operatipn.

In the modified construction shown inl Fig. 15 the back 100 is carried by the foot section 101 in both its sofa and bed positions. The said back is attached to said sectionpreferably in yielding manner so as to ai'lgment the cushion ell'ect and resiliency of the upholstered back in its sofa position. lith this end in view, the upper edge of the back. is pivoted at 102 to the outer end of the foot section, and the lower part of the back is attached to the adjacent part of the foot section by yielding means 105, as for instance a flexible strap adapted to limit the diver -gent swinging of the back with respect to the foot section, yielding compression means 10G 'being provided, a's for instance, coiled springs disposed between the back and the side rails of the foot section. The handle 107 at the top of the back facilitates operation.

In this instance the rearward end of the middle section 109 is guided in lowering and raising by inclined means 112 on the ends of the sofa frame, said guide means having al liat top part 1111 on which coacting support means 115 carried by the middle section may rest when said section is raised, said coacting means preferably including a roller bearing 11S arranged to ride upon said guide means.

The guide means on each side for the inner end of the head section 120 each comprises a slotted member 121 which may be disposed substantially horizontally and is preferably open-ended at its rear end 122 to receive the section supporting member 123 and to facilitate dismounting the head section when the frame back 3 is removed. In order to deinitely insure downward breaking of the joint in folding, yielding means 125 are provided for urging the inner end of the head section upward which device acts on the head section with leverage effect to throw the hinged end downward as the rollers 123 move in their guides 121.

In this modiilcation each controlling link 95 for the leg 94 is connected to the middle section 109 instead of to a seat control link.4

and each seat actuating link 128 is connected to au inner leg .130 of the foot section.

In this form the front panel 13;. is unitary and extends from the seat to the lower edge of the sofa frame in its sofa position. It is hinged at its upper edge to the lower front part of the seat member 134. Yielding means 135 urge said panel upward against the underside of the seat when the latter is swung forward to its bed position. Said panel is restored automatically to its vertical position by contact with the links 137 and adjacent sofa frame parts when the seat is swung to its sofa position. Said links in this form may be substantially straight.

The section joints 138 and 139 in this instance may be formed to permit free turning subject only to the support and bed bottom guide means 112and 121. 1 The closure panel 5 of this embodiment is provided with a forwardly disposed supplementary swinging part or folding lid 1.41 of latch-like character formed to receiveand overlap the upper end of the foot section 101 when the device is' folded. In order that thelid 141 may lift automatically so as to receive the section 101 without any attention from the operator, the front edge is beveled on its lower corner; and in order that said lid may also serve to lock` the bed bottom and back in their sofa position, a downwardly projecting lip or shoulder is provided on the beveled edge adapted to engage the upper part of the foot section and prevent forward swinging thereof until the lid 141 has been raised. This feature of automatic control of a top closure lid is not claimed herein, but is set forth and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 25,177, filed May 3, 1915.

The operation of said modified form is as follows; The top of the back or handle 107 thereon is grasped and swung forward and e downward, whereby the foot section is swung directly to its bed position, and the various other members of theI device are moved automatically to their corresponding positions. Conversion to the sofa form is accomplished by lifting the free end of the foot section and swinging the same back to its sofa position, all other parts being restored automatically thereby.

By the constructions stated a full length bed bottom may be mounted in a sofa frame of less depth from front to back and of less back height than the depth and height of frames for sofa beds of their type heretofore and .side members, and a `\,'ieldal ily mounted front panel, in combination with a 'l'oldable bed bottom including' an onler section mounted in pivotal relation to said frame, a Seat member and supportine,` mean movable forwardly and downwardly to their bed po- Sition, operative connecting,r means i'or Said section and seal. member, Isaid panel being hingedly mounted to swing on one of its horizontal edges, and yielding mennel urging Said panel to swine upward, 1aaid panel bein;` swingable eloninvzn'd bv coaetion with said :aipportiner means.

10. A :sofa bed eoinpriaing a sofa frame havingN an open front, in combination with a bed bottom operatable to open forwardly, a Seat movable orwardl)r and downwardly to its bed position beneath said bed bottom and in front of said frame, links l'or supporting said seat swingably, and a closure panel mounted pirotally on one of its horizontal edges, yielding means urging said panel to swing upward, said links being swing'able through said open -front and said panel beinor guided by said links in. opening and closinej.

11. A sofa bed comprising a frame, a t'oldable bedbottom including an outer section having sul'iporting means attached rigidly thereto adjacent toits inner end, Said snpporting means being mounted tnrnably in the lower front part of said frame. a medial section pivoted to said outer section, and a. head. section pivoted to said medial section, the. conneetion of Said outer and medial se@ tions being of rnle joint construction and the head and medial sections having a joint iimflinlingl atop means to limit the folding of said head and medial see-tions to substantially a right angle, said frame having guide means disposed beside the head Section in its bed position, said guide means being formed with its medial part disposed above .its ends and above the bed poition. of the head section, and said head section having means for coaetine' with Said guide means.

12. A main frame having lateral guides, in wmbination with a fold-able sectional bed bottom including: an outer section mounted tnrnably on the front part of said iframe, an inner section mounted slidably on said guides, and a Connecting Sect-ion, said guides being formed. each n'ith a medial hump and drooping ends, said sections hav-v ing liniitation swing j oints adapted to canne the head section to travel to and iro on said guides `in foldingr and unfolding respectively.

13. In con'ibination, a ame, a back the upper part of which is tnrnably connected to said iframe, a brace tnrnably connected to said back, ajlastening on said frame adapted for securing said brace in a definite position with respect to said iframe and back, resilient means adapted :for urging said brace laterally into engagement with said fastenlne", and yielding means operable manually to d'eengage 4said brace from yaid fastenine.

Signed at, Chicago this 15th day of February, 1915.

FRED M. DAVIS.

litnesaez o M. Inline lln'roinxos, Many it. Moraine. 

